"Florentino, Falcao has got five now"

Falcao's golden evening did not go unnoticed in the Real Madrid camp. While the goals rained in at the Calderón, the 'Los Blancos' B-side, Castilla, was facing Racing in the Liga Adelante (the Spanish second tier), watched over by Florentino Pérez in the presidential box.

The Madrid fans in the stands of the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium did not miss the opportunity to keep the president up to speed with the Colombian striker's exploits. "Florentino, Falcao has got five now", they chanted to a disbelieving Florentino, who even held his head in his hands in amazement.

Diego 'El Cholo' Simeone, meanwhile, was in a buoyant mood when he faced the media after his side's unforgettable 6-0 thrashing of a dismal Deportivo.

The Argentinian was understandably over the moon at the result and the events at the Vicente Calderón. "Falcao is all ambition and enthusiasm, and always wants more", he stated, adding that the Colombian's five-goal display was "historic, both for him and for Atlético".

Simeone also singled out another of his players for praise, claiming that "we need Diego Costa to be competitive". Despite the Brazilian's recent struggles – including his controversial actions against Real Madrid last weekend and his sending-off against Viktoria Plzen midweek – the coach has once again made it clear that Costa is a big part of his plans.